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Enlarge ImageRequest to buy this photoStefan Wermuth | Asssociated PressMarion Bartoli is the only woman in the 45-year Open era to win Wimbledon with two-fisted forehand and backhand shots.

By Howard FendrichAssociated Press • Sunday July 7, 2013 8:12 AM

LONDON — Since she was a child, practicing until midnight with her father, Marion Bartoli went
about playing tennis her own way.

The two-handed strokes for backhands, forehands, even volleys. The hopping in place and practice
swings between points, which help her focus. The unusual setup for serves — no ball-bouncing, arms
crossed, right wrist resting on her left thumb before the toss.

Whatever works, right? This unique Wimbledon, appropriately enough, produced a unique champion
in ambidextrous Bartoli, the 15th-seeded Frenchwoman who won her first Grand Slam title by
defeating 23rd-seeded Sabine Lisicki of Germany 6-1, 6-4 yesterday.

“It’s always been a part of my personality to be different. I think being just like the other
one is kind of boring. I really embrace the fact of being a bit different and doing something that
not everyone is,” Bartoli, 28, said. “I actually love that part of my game.”

This was Bartoli’s 47th Grand Slam tournament, the most played by a woman before earning a
championship. She is the only woman in the 45-year Open era to win Wimbledon playing two-fisted
forehand and backhand shots (Monica Seles, Bartoli’s inspiration for that unusual style, collected
her nine major titles elsewhere). Until yesterday, it had been more than 11/2 years since
Bartoli won a tournament at any level.

Until these last two weeks, Bartoli’s record in 2013 was 14-12, and she had not made it past the
quarterfinals anywhere. Asked how to explain how she went from that sort of mediocre season to
winning seven matches in a row at Wimbledon, never dropping a set, Bartoli briefly closed her eyes,
then laughed heartily.

“Well,” Bartoli said, spreading her arms wide, “that’s me!”

Unlike Lisicki, a first-time major finalist who was admittedly overwhelmed by the occasion and
teared up in the second set, Bartoli already had been on this stage, with the same stakes. In 2007,
Bartoli won only five games during a two-set loss to Venus Williams in the Wimbledon final.

Bartoli became the first woman in the Open era to win Wimbledon without facing anyone seeded in
the top 10 — her highest-rated opponent was No. 17 Sloane Stephens of the United States in the
quarterfinals. That’s in part because of all of the injuries and surprises, including exits for No.
2 Victoria Azarenka, No. 3 Maria Sharapova, No. 5 Sara Errani, No. 7 Angelique Kerber, No. 9
Caroline Wozniacki and No. 10 Maria Kirilenko by the end of the second round.

Lisicki, meanwhile, used her game built for grass — fast serves, stinging returns, superb court
coverage — to end defending champion and top-seeded Serena Williams’ 34-match winning streak in the
fourth round. Lisicki also eliminated former major champions Francesca Schiavone and Sam Stosur,
along with No. 4 Agnieszka Radwanska, last year’s runner-up.

In the men’s doubles final, American brothers Bob and Mike Bryan won their fourth Grand Slam
title in a row with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo. The Bryans
became the first doubles team to hold all four Grand Slam titles at the same time since 1952.

In the women’s doubles final, Hsieh Su-wei and Peng Shuai won their first Grand Slam title with
a 7-6 (1), 6-1 victory over Australia’s Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua. Hsieh is the first
Taiwan player to win a Grand Slam title and Peng gave China its first major doubles title in seven
years.